


Sometimes a picture isn't worth a thousand words

by BelleLorage



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Canon What Canon, Childhood Memories, Fluff, Gen, Memories, Nothing Hurts, Slice of Life, Thor's POV, all is well, and the avengers were this big happy family, but asgardian childhood memories, cuteness, having fun, nothing's wrong, y'all remember when fanfics didn't hurt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-24
Updated: 2017-04-24
Packaged: 2018-10-23 09:43:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10716924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BelleLorage/pseuds/BelleLorage
Summary: "Call it a field trip."The Avengers go to an Art Museum and Thor finds out some stories actually ressonate through the Yggdrasil.





	Sometimes a picture isn't worth a thousand words

_"To stay on Earth, you must learn of Earth"_

That was what was told to him by the Director of SHIELD. Of course, a God had no business bowing to the whims of a man, however Thor wished to keep good relations to all he had sworn to protect. Midgard had changed him, had bettered him. He owed it to them to be the best protector he could.

So he had lessons about what midgardian life was like. It was a bit confusing and some things just didn't make sense to him but the Thunderer was not alone in his education. He had the Captain by his side to equally question and not understand this sweet little world.

They studied and took tests and shared their own experiences. Apparently, in Steven's time, the world had been very different. Beliefs had been very different. Sometimes for the better, as they both agreed but also for the worst. For Thor, the whole societal distribution was insane! So many leaders for such a small planet! How did they get anything done?

 _Very slowly_ , Son of Coul answered, having volunteered to help the two heroes out.

Actually, all of their friends had volunteered to do so. Each one, in their own way, helped to make them understand their world. They were all very kind and pacient but not above some casual ribbing which was fine. Anthony had called their surprise lessons together 'family time' and they were privy to movies (which Thor and Steve adored), musical outings and culture appreciation visits.

Like this one.

The Metropolitan Musuem of New York City had an exhibition of the History of Human Art and it was decided by Coulson, ms Potts and the Captain that it would a wonderful idea. And so they went. All of them. Anthony, Steven, Pepper, Son of Coul, Natasha, Clinton, Bruce, Thor himself and little Peter, marched together into the rather pretty building, trying not to make spectacles of themselves in their normal midgardian disguises.

It lasted for as long as it could.

Clinton and Natasha coursed little Peter away from the group and began to strike rather hilarious poses and take photos of themselves for something named 'instagram' (?) with humorous captions. Anthony joined them soon after. Ms Potts and the Captain oohed and aahed at the intricate tapestry and pottery of their antiquity as Coulson and Bruce observed the proceeding and art works with mild interest, talking to eachother in hushed, respectful tones.

For Thor... they were _nice_. He understood why they were important to history but his own civilization had gone through so much more that they looked rather dull to him. He kept skirting around between the photo taking crowd and the appreciation group as they made their way through so many civilizations (though he really enjoyed the norse ones and even pointed out asgardian script to his friends in many of the priestly objects).

Then came the paintings. He liked those. And Steven and Pepper loved them too.

Each painting told a story and Thor adored stories. He left the slightly troublemaking group to follow down both of them, drinking up their knowledge as they past painting after painting, eyes ablaze with such tales of war, and love and adventure.

Then they stopped before it. The story he knew. The story he had had _lived_.

It took his companions a while to understand what gave him pause but upon reading the title of the painting, they stopped as well.

_Thor and the Serpent._

The asgardian's eyes ran over the painting. The horned serpent Jorgumndur hooked to the rope of his arm, pulling him, the boat and his father down to the deep. It slithered under the water. The beast's massive body made titanic waves as it pulled and pulled. So hard. Thor had thought it would take off his arm. His father looked so frightened in that painting. The beast that wanted the rest of his flesh. He had to protect his father. There was a person missing. Loki. Loki had been there. They had ran away. Thor had been searching for adventure and had stupidly dragged his little brother with him. Odin had had to go and fetch them. Loki had screamed so desperately when the horned beast pulled at Thor's arm.

"You ok there, Buddy?" Tony asked, patting his back.

Thor blinked, looking down from the painting. "I..." he looked up again. "Yes."

Steven took the man of Iron's place and there was an understanding in his eyes. "I think Thor's a little... overwhelmend, Tony"

Thor didn't know what that meant and it seemed to give Tony pause as well. But Coulson understood.

"Let's go to the courtyard, Thor" their handler offered and the prince obeyed. The levity of the outing had left him. The strain in his arm, the pull... it felt so real.

He looked back at his friends as the ominous painting hung above him.

'THOR!' His brother, his love had screamed at him as he was pulled into the water, only a sword ad the rope as weapons. Loki kept screaming for him as the murky waters covered them both.

He had barely survived that fight. But he had won.

When they had gotten home that day, he was gifted Mjolnir. He had earned his name, his title and his own glorious death.

"Is this ok?" Son of Coul asked and Thor nodded, deep in thought. The mortal sighed as he seemed to... unwind and stretch a bit. The demigod's eyes followed him as he walked up to the railing and looked out into the world.

"It's a pretty beautiful day, isn't it?" Coulson asked and the prince had to agree.  The sun was shining bright nested between fluffy white clouds. The sky was blue and wide and the city around them welcomed it, its hustle and bustle soothingly carried by a gentle breeze.

His steps brought him closer to the agent that still looked out and Thor gave a small smile. "Midgardians are such an interesting bunch." He decreed, divine eyes honing in, following and then leaving random people below.

"How so?" Coulson asked, pulling out his shades.

"You mend... So quickly." Thor said with no small amount of awe. "There has been so much devastation in your history. There was such devastation here... Beasts and monsters. So much lost. And yet--" There they were. Alive. Happy, even. "Asgardians are not like you."

Loki wanted so desperately to take his place. To be king and carry the hammer. But Thor would never let him and he was hated for it.

"It wasn't always like that." Their handler said, finally looking up at the asgardian with a kind, pacient sort of expression that made him so... likeable. "Humans took their time learning that lesson. Hell, some people still don't know it." His hand fell on Thor's arm. "But there's still time. For all of us" and that made the prince smile.

"Yes," he said and felt foolish for the wateriness of his own voice. It was such a hopeful thing to believe in. He cleared his throat before nodding. "I think so too." He said, turning back to the city.

He would never let that beast near the one he loved most.

He'd rather take the brunt of Loki's taunts and jeers and hate. He'd rather be hurt by his love a thousand times again and again. He'd rather not have a single day's peace, if only to know that that vile demon would never hurt his beloved.

Loki needed to be safe.

Then, their secluded little haven was invaded by the Avengers. Steven and Peter carried treats bought somewhere in the museum as Clinton and Anthony crowded the demigod with hugs and playful, concerned smacks on the arms. Ms. Potts and Natasha had gifts in their hands and they all spoke at once in the most beautiful and cheerful cacophony.

It made the asgardian prince warm inside. It made him feel part of a family.

They needed to be safe too.

Thor allowed Peter to feed him what he called 'churros' and half listened to questions about his hammer and what beasts it could actually slay. The city around them glistened like a jewel in that beautiful day. Birds sang somewhere in a tree nearby. A woman sang a tune to her infant. People laughed and talked as they walked on with their lives.

They would be safe as well.

Pepper pulled out her phone and took photos of the group. Thor posed, looking upwards. And somewhere, up there, he knew Asgard was having a beautiful day as well.

He would keep it safe too.

Thor would keep them all safe. Not because it was his job.

 

"oh! Try these ones out! They have dulce de--"

"ow! You stepped on my foot!"

"Put a Mayfair filter, Pepper."

"Tasha, look, no hands!"

"Barton, get down from there. Not like that!"

"We should all go to Bhumi's after this. Hands?"

 

So they could be happy. So they could grow and smile and never think of hardship again. So they could mend. He would give his dying breath for it.

 

He would do it because he loved them.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't even know anymore.
> 
> Thanks for stopping by, stranger.


End file.
